Verplank, Mediate commit to 84 Lumber Classic
The 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania field is beginning to take shape. Scott Verplank, two-time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen and Greensburg native Rocco Mediate have been confirmed to take part in the end-of-season tournament, which will take place on Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa’s Mystic Rock Course Sept. 18-21.
Mediate, the world’s 34th-ranked golfer, started off the season hot, tying K.J. Choi for second place in the Mercedes Championship, eight shots behind Ernie Els. Two weeks later, he finished in fifth place at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, five shots behind Davis Love III.
But injuries have limited Mediate to 13 tournaments and the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. He withdrew at two rounds of the Memorial Tournament, then missed the cut in the U.S. Open and Buick Classic in successive weeks.
Mediate, whose last win came in the 2002 Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic, has earned $860,000 this season.
Verplank is ranked No. 24 in the world, and sits 15th on the 2003 money list with $1,529,933 in earnings. He has five top-10 finishes to his credit this season, his best being a third-place finish in the HP Classic of New Orleans where he trailed Steve Flesch and Bob Estes by two strokes.
Verplank finished fourth in the Byron Nelson Championship, four strokes behind Vijay Singh, and tied for eighth with four others in the Masters, seven shots back of Mike Weir.
At the U.S. Open, Verplank finished in a five-way tie for 10th place, nine shots back of Jim Furyk.
Putting has been one of Verplank’s strong points this season, as evidenced by his tie for sixth place at 1.714 putts per hole. His last win came in 2001 at the Bell Canadian Open.
Janzen is ranked 70th in the world and has earned $1,087,325 this season (No. 37). His best finish this season came at the Memorial when he finished two back of Kenny Perry and earned $540,000. Janzen’s other top-10 finish came at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, when tied Ben Crane for sixth place, five shots behind David Toms.
Janzen has eight PGA victories in his bag, including U.S. Opens in 1993 and ’98.
Nemacolin Woodlands is hosting an 84 Lumber Classic Media Day today, where a “major announcement” is planned.
It is also believed that a more extensive list of commitments will be released.